Feeling stuck at work? Here are 5 career resolutions to consider for 2018

By Juli Fischer

Where do you stand on new year's resolutions? Perhaps you find them to be a useful way to set time-bound goals with a spirit of inspiring rejuvenation. Or maybe you think it's all hooey because time is a social construct and people are just fooling themselves. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, there's one thing that's hard to deny: Growth is a good thing. So here are five career-oriented resolutionsareas for growth for you to consider this year — if you're into that sort of thing, that is.

1. Bond more with your team

Good teamwork doesn't happen without strong teams, so put aside the fact that you might be a raging introvert for a second, and get to know your coworkers. It's worth your while, because teams who spend more time together are more effective problem solvers. They forge more empathy, learn about each other's strengths and working styles, and are invested in shared success. In short, these teams are teeming with social capital, and it leads to better outputs at work. At Quip we do this in a variety of ways, including big off-sites that are all play and no work, but also smaller events like game nights, movie outings, and lunch mixers. If none of these things happen at your company, consider being the one who starts the tradition!

2. Get comfortable with feedback

“I love getting feedback!” —Almost nobody, ever.

Here's the truth: When you get feedback at work, you're being gifted with one of the best career growth opportunities on the planet. And when you give feedback, you're giving other people that opportunity as well. There are plenty of strategies for handling professional feedback, so it's easier than you think to make it a regular part of your work moving forward. To start, consider a plan to solicit feedback from the people you've worked closest with at the end of every quarter. Bonus: Become comfortable with scheduling ad-hoc meetings to give feedback to your peers, and ask if they have any feedback for you.

3. Put your phone away

Seriously. Just put it away! Be present, pay attention, and have some genuinely human interactions. You can do it. We believe in you.

4. Find the passion in what you're doing

Here's an old chestnut for you: “If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.” This is fun to think about, but rarely realistic. The good news is that for most of us, there is joy, fulfillment, and passion to be found in aspects of what we already do for a living. Whether it's making peoples' lives easier or more fun (looking at you, PMs and engineers), solving complicated problems and alleviating stress (support reps), or flexing those creative muscles (designers, marketing folks), there's something to hone in on, be proud of, and smile about.

5. Don't make it all about work

Work is important, but no one ever looks back on their life and says “I wish I'd spent more time at the office.” If you can swing it, try to make a little more room in your schedule this year for the “life” side of your work-life balance. Consider finding a new hobby (or revisiting an old one), picking up a sport, or spending more time with your family. And if you find yourself so busy at work that you can't possibly consider adding one more thing to your life, that's a sign that — if you are able — something needs to be adjusted.

Whether you're refining your old way of doing things or picking up new ones, we wish you a happy, productive, and teamwork-filled 2018!

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